Jared Isaacman, President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead NASA, is facing renewed scrutiny over a past arrest and multiple lawsuits linked to unpaid casino debts. The billionaire entrepreneur and SpaceX astronaut was arrested in 2010 on fraud charges and has been sued by casinos in New Jersey and Connecticut for allegedly writing $2 million in bad checks.
The incidents stem from Isaacman’s early 20s, a period he described as marked by “immature hobbies” despite his early business success. Isaacman, who founded Shift4 Payments as a teen and later led the world’s first all-civilian spaceflight in 2021, addressed the controversies in his NASA nomination paperwork.
In February 2010, U.S. Customs and Border Protection arrested Isaacman at the Canadian border on a Nevada warrant tied to a dispute with Palms Casino in Las Vegas. According to jail records, he was released the next day. Isaacman said the issue was resolved within 24 hours and the charges dismissed, with records sealed.
Court filings also show the Trump Taj Mahal casino sued Isaacman in 2009 over four bounced checks totaling $1 million. The case was settled in 2011 for $650,000. Similarly, the Mohegan Sun in Connecticut sued him in 2010 for another $1 million in bad checks, a matter that was later withdrawn.
In responses to the Senate Commerce Committee, Isaacman acknowledged four civil cases related to casinos between 2008 and 2010. He called them “forms of negotiation” and said all were resolved without long-term consequences.
Despite his history, the White House remains firm in its support. “Jared Isaacman is exceptionally qualified to advance President Trump’s bold space agenda,” said spokesperson Liz Huston. Isaacman’s nomination is scheduled for a committee vote next week.
Ironically, during his 2021 spaceflight, Isaacman placed the first-ever sports bet from orbit—live from a SpaceX capsule.
